S1 · Ep 14: Stress Mindset — How Your Beliefs Shape Its Impact | The MindSpa Podcast

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The MindSpa Podcast, Tina Wilston and Michelle Massunken explore two common misconceptions about stress and mental health that can quietly shape how we see ourselves.The first centres on stress. Is it always harmful, or can it sometimes support performance and growth? Through the lens of the Yerkes–Dodson law, they reflect on how moderate levels of stress can enhance focus and motivation, while chronic, unrelenting stress can gradually erode wellbeing. They unpack the difference between acute stress and chronic stress, and why understanding that distinction can help explain why small triggers sometimes lead to outsized reactions.The conversation then turns toward practical ways of recontextualizing stress responses. Drawing from personal experience, they discuss how movement and physical activity can shift how the brain interprets sensations like a racing heart, helping transform overwhelm into something more manageable.The second myth they examine is the belief that struggling with mental health prevents success. They consider how mental health challenges, when understood and supported, can foster resilience, creativity, empathy, and deeper human connection.This episode offers a grounded, reflective framework for working with stress rather than fighting against it, inviting listeners to reconsider long-held assumptions and approach their own mental health with greater curiosity and self-compassion.The MindSpa PodcastThoughtful conversations about mental health, relationships, identity, healing, grounded in clinical expertise and steady human insight.HostsTina Wilston, M.Ed., Registered Psychotherapist Co-Owner, MindSpa Mental Health CentreLinkedIn, Instagram, FacebookMichelle Massunken, MSW, RSWCo-Owner, MindSpa Mental Health CentreLinkedIn, Instagram, FacebookMindSpa Mental Health CentreOttawa - Kanata & Gloucesterthemindspa.caLinkedIn, instagramListen onApple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube